Hand dryer

ABSTRACT

A hand dryer includes a drying chamber, a blowing chamber, a duct, and a hose. The blowing chamber is below the drying chamber in a first direction along an up-down direction. The duct is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, and connects a lower portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. At least one hose is provided to connect an upper portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. The upper portion of the drying chamber includes a drying-chamber opening, open in the first direction and communicating with an outside. In the drying chamber includes a blower, producing an airflow passing from bottom up through the hose. The duct includes a duct upper portion, a duct connection portion, and a duct lower portion. The duct upper portion, wider in the second direction, communicates with the lower portion of the drying chamber.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 63/072,302 filed on Aug. 31, 2020 and is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2021/031872 filed on Aug. 31, 2021. The entire contents of each application are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand dryer.

2. BACKGROUND

Conventionally, hand dryers include a hand insertion space with an opening open in a top part and a side wall surrounds the hand inserted through the opening. A nozzle through which air is blown out is disposed in the side wall and the hand insertion space communicates, through a drainage canal (duct), with a blowing chamber in which a high-pressure air generator is disposed.

The air produced as the high-pressure air generator is driven is blown out through the nozzle and blows off the moisture on the hand and fingers. The air containing the water droplets blown off passes though the drainage canal (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-000348).

Inconveniently, the hand dryer disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-000348 does not allow smooth passage through the drainage canal of the air containing water droplets that is blown off in the hand-insertion space, leading to low blowing efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide hand dryers that each can enhance blowing efficiency inside a duct.

A hand dryer according to an example embodiment of the present invention includes a drying chamber, a blowing chamber, a duct, and a hose. The blowing chamber is located below the drying chamber in a first direction extending in the up-down direction. The duct has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape that communicates a lower portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. At least one hose is provided to communicate an upper portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. In the upper portion of the drying chamber, a drying-chamber opening is provided to open in the first direction and communicate with an outside. The drying chamber includes a side wall that surrounds the drying chamber from opposite sides in a second direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction and from opposite sides in a third direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first and second directions, while extending in the first direction. In the drying chamber, a blower to produce an airflow that passes from bottom up through the hose is provided. The duct includes a duct upper portion, a duct connection portion, and a duct lower portion. The duct upper portion communicates with the lower portion of the drying chamber, and is wider in the second direction. The duct connection portion extends from a lower portion of the duct upper portion in a direction including a third direction component, and is wider in the second direction. The duct lower portion communicates with the duct connection portion, is located below the duct connection portion, and is wider in the second direction. A width of the duct lower portion in the second direction is about 40% or more and about 70% or less of the width of the duct upper portion in the second direction.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide hand dryers that can enhance the blowing efficiency inside a duct.

The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand dryer according to a first example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hand dryer according to the first example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the hand dryer according to the first example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hand dryer according to the first example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hand dryer according to a second example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the hand dryer according to the second example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing part of the hand dryer according to the second example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, illustrative example embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, where necessary, an XYZ coordinate system is shown as a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction (that is, the up-down direction), the +Z direction pointing upward (in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity), the −Z direction pointing downward (in the direction of gravity). The Z-axis direction is also the direction in which a side wall 12, which will be described later, extends. The X-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction, one and the opposite directions along it being defined as the +X direction and the −X direction, respectively. The Y-axis direction is the direction orthogonal to both the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction, one and the opposite directions along it being defined as the +Y direction and the −Y direction, respectively. These definitions of directions are merely for convenience of explanation and are not meant to limit the directions referred to at the time of manufacture and use of a hand dryer 1 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. In other words, the vertical direction may differ from the up-down direction and the directions with reference to which the hand dryer 1 is installed can be freely selected.

First Example Embodiment (1. Configuration of a Hand Dryer)

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a hand dryer 1 according to a first example embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 2 showing a state with a cover 70 removed. FIGS. 3 and 4 are a front view and a side view, respectively, of the hand dryer 1, showing a state with the cover 70 removed. The hand dryer 1 is, for example, installed near a sink in a washroom and is used to dry hands after washing. It may be installed not just in washrooms but anywhere, such as in hospitals and factories, where hand and fingers need to be dried hygienically after washing.

The hand dryer 1 includes a drying chamber 10, a blowing chamber 20, a duct 30, hoses 40 a and 40 b, a blower 50, a base 60, and a cover 70. The cover 70 is in a cylindrical shape open at the top face, and surrounds the drying chamber 10, the blowing chamber 20, the duct 30, hoses 40 a and 40 b, and the outer surface of the base 60. The base 60 is formed in a box shape and is fastened to an installation surface for the hand dryer 1. The rear surface of the cover 70 may be, for example, fitted to the wall of the washroom or the like.

The drying chamber 10 has a side wall 12 and has a drying-chamber opening 13 open in a top part of it. The drying-chamber opening 13 opens in a first direction (Z direction). Near the drying-chamber opening 13, a sensor that detects insertion of a hand (not illustrated) is disposed and communicates with the outside.

The side wall 12 surrounds the hand inserted in the drying-chamber opening 13; it does so from opposite sides in a second direction (X direction) orthogonal to the first direction (Z direction) and from opposite sides in a third direction (Y direction) orthogonal to both the first and second directions (Z and X direction) while extending in the first direction (Z direction).

In this example embodiment, the side wall 12 has a front wall 121, a rear wall 122, and lateral walls 123 and 124. The drying-chamber opening 13 is open in the side wall 12 at one side in the first direction (+Z direction). An inflow port 31 a is open in the side wall 12 at the other side in the first direction (−Z direction).

The front wall 121 and the rear wall 122 are arranged opposite each other in the third direction (Y direction). The lateral walls 123 and 124 are arranged opposite each other in the second direction (X direction). The front wall 121, the rear wall 122, and the lateral walls 123 and 124 extend in the first direction (Z direction).

The front wall 121 has an inclined portion 121 a. The inclined portion 121 a inclines to one side in the third direction (+Y direction) as it extends toward the other side in the first direction (−Z direction). The inclined portion 121 a guides an airflow smoothly to the other side in the first direction (−Z direction).

A blowout port 11 is open in the rear wall 122. Likewise, a blowout port (not illustrated) is open also in the front wall 121. From those blowout ports 11, arranged opposite each other in the third direction (Y direction), air is blown out into the drying chamber 10. Providing blowout ports 11 in both the front wall 121 and the rear wall 122 helps suppress a turbulent airflow in the drying chamber 10. Blowout ports 11 may be provided in the lateral walls 123 and 124. The blowout port 11 may be provided only in one of the front wall 121 and the rear wall 122.

The duct 30 is in a cylindrical shape that communicates a lower portion of the drying chamber 10 with the blowing chamber 20. The duct 30 returns the air flowing into it from the drying chamber 10 to the blowing chamber 20.

The duct 30 has a duct upper portion 31, a duct connection portion 32, a duct lower portion 33, and a water collection passage 34. The duct upper portion 31 communicates with a lower portion of the drying chamber 10 via the inflow port 31 a and is wider in the second direction (X direction). The duct connection portion 32 extends from a lower portion of the duct upper portion 31 in a direction including a third direction (Y direction) component and is wider in the second direction (X direction). The duct lower portion 33 communicates with the duct connection portion 32, is disposed below the duct connection portion 32, and is wider in the second direction (X direction).

In this example embodiment, the duct upper portion 31 extends from the inflow port 31 a toward the other side in the first direction (−Z direction) with a decreasing width in the second direction (X direction). The duct connection portion 32, as it extends from the lower end of the duct upper portion 31 toward the other side in the first direction (−Z direction), bends toward the other side in the third direction (−Y direction). The duct lower portion 33 extends rectilinearly from the lower end of the duct connection portion 32 toward the other side in the first direction (−Z direction).

The width L2 of the duct lower portion 33 in the second direction (X direction) is 40% or more but 70% or less of the maximum value of the width L1 of the duct upper portion 31 in the second direction (X direction). While, in this example embodiment, the duct lower portion 33 has a constant width L2 in the second direction (X direction), it may extend toward the other side in the first direction (−Z direction) with a decreasing width in the second direction (X direction).

With this design, an airflow containing water droplets can be passed smoothly from the duct upper portion 31 toward the duct lower portion 33 through the duct 30. It is thus possible to enhance the blowing efficiency in the duct 30 and to increase the volume of air yielded by the hand dryer 1.

The width of the duct connection portion 32 in the second direction (X direction) decreases continuously from the duct upper portion 31 toward the duct lower portion 33 and the minimum value of the width of the duct connection portion 32 in the second direction (X direction) is equal to the width L2 of the duct lower portion 33 in the second direction (X direction). With this design, an airflow containing water droplets can be passed more smoothly from the duct connection portion 32 to the duct lower portion 33. It is also possible to prevent a turbulent airflow in the duct connection portion 32 and to increase the volume of air yielded by the hand dryer 1.

The width L2 of the duct lower portion 33 in the second direction (X direction) is 50% or more of the width L3 of the duct 30 in the second direction (X direction). With this design, an airflow containing water droplets can be passed smoothly from the duct lower portion 33 to the blowing chamber 20. It is also possible to reduce the flow resistance in the duct lower portion 33 and increase the volume of air yielded by the hand dryer 1.

The water collection passage 34 is connected to the duct lower portion 33 and is disposed inside the base 60. In the water collection passage 34, a water collection tray 34 a is disposed. The water collection tray 34 a collects in it water that drips through the duct upper portion 31, the duct connection portion 32, and the duct lower portion 33. An end part of the water collection passage 34 opposite from the duct lower portion 33 is connected to the blowing chamber 20.

The blowing chamber 20 is disposed below the drying chamber 10 in the first direction (Z direction) extending in the up-down direction. In the blowing chamber 20, the blower 50 is disposed. The blower 50 produces an airflow that passes from bottom up through the hoses 40 a and 40 b.

At least one of the hoses 40 a and 40 b is provided so as to communicate an upper portion of the drying chamber 10 and with the blowing chamber 20. In this example embodiment, two of them are provided. The hoses 40 a and 40 b are disposed downstream of the blower 50. A downstream end part of the hose 40 a communicates with the blowout port (not illustrated) disposed in the front wall 121. A downstream end part of the hose 40 b communicates with the blowout port 11 disposed in the rear wall 122.

The hose 40 a has a hose lower portion 41 a, a hose connection portion 41 b, and a hose upper portion 41 c. The hose lower portion 41 a communicates with the blowing chamber 20. The hose upper portion 31 c communicates with the drying chamber 10. The hose connection portion 41 b connects together the hose lower portion 41 a and the hose upper portion 41 c. An outer cylinder portion of the hose connection portion 41 b curves smoothly from the hose lower portion 41 a toward the hose upper portion 41 c. With this design, an airflow can be passed smoothly from the hose lower portion 41 a to the hose upper portion 41 c through the hose 40 a. It is also possible to prevent a turbulent airflow in the hose 40 a. It is thus possible to enhance the blowing efficiency in the hose 40 a.

The outside diameter of the hose 40 a is 15% or more but 20% or less of the width L2 of the duct lower portion 33 in the second direction (X direction). It is thus possible to reduce the flow resistance in the hose 40 a and increase the volume of air yielded by the hand dryer 1.

When the user inserts a hand through the drying-chamber opening 13 into the drying chamber 10, the sensor (not illustrated) detects the hand inserted and operates the blower 50. When the blower 50 is driven, the air inside the drying chamber 10 flows via the inflow port 31 a into the duct 30. The air that has flowed into the duct 30 blows out via the blowout port 11 into the drying chamber 10 through the blowing chamber 20 and the hoses 40 a and 40 b. In this way, the air in the drying chamber 10 circulates.

Meanwhile, the air blown into the drying chamber 10 blows onto the hand placed in the drying chamber 10 and the water droplets on the hand and fingers are blown off. The air containing the water droplets blown off is sucked into the duct 30. The water droplets on the hand inserted in the drying chamber 10 are stored in the water collection tray 34 a within the water collection passage 34 through the duct 30.

After that, when the user pulls the hand out of the drying chamber 10, the sensor (not illustrated) detects that and stops the driving of the blower 50. Thus, the drying of the hand is complete.

Second Example Embodiment

Next, a second example embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and a side sectional view, respectively, of a hand dryer 1 according to the second example embodiment, showing a state with a cover 70 removed. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing part of the hand dryer 1. For convenience of explanation, such parts in the second example embodiment as are similar to those in the first example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above are identified by the same reference signs.

In the second example embodiment, the hand dryer 1 includes a drying chamber 10, a first blowing chamber 221, a second blowing chamber 222, a duct 130, a hose 140, a first blower 151, a second blower 152, and a cover 70.

The duct 130 has a first duct 131 and a second duct 132 and communicates a lower portion of the drying chamber 10 with the first blowing chamber 221. The first and second ducts 131 and 132 return the air flowing into them from the drying chamber 10 to the first blowing chamber 221. The first duct 131 extends downward from a lower end part of the drying chamber 10 and communicates with the first blowing chamber 221. In the first duct 131, a filter 133 is disposed. With this design, it is possible to reduce the moisture that flows into the first blowing chamber 221.

The second duct 132 extends from a lower end part of the drying chamber 10 in a direction crossing the first direction (Z direction) and communicates with the first blowing chamber 221. Specifically, the second duct 132 has a labyrinth portion 132 a that extends upwards while extending in a direction crossing the first direction (Z direction). The moisture that flows in from the drying chamber 10 passes through the first duct 131 and the gas that flows in from the drying chamber 10 passes through the second duct 132. With this design, it is possible to separate water and gas. The first duct 131 may instead communicate with the outside of the hand dryer 1.

The flow passage area of the second duct 132 is larger than the flow passage area of the first duct 131. With this design, it is possible to reduce the flow resistance in the second duct 132.

The first blowing chamber 221 is disposed below the drying chamber 10 in the first direction (Z direction) extending in the up-down direction. In the first blowing chamber 221, the first blower 151 is disposed. The first blowing chamber 221 has an exhaust port 221 a open in it. Specifically, a lower end part of the first blowing chamber 221 has an exhaust port 221 a that communicates with the outside of the hand dryer 1 in the first direction (Z direction). Since the exhaust port 221 a is disposed in a lower end part of the hand dryer 1, it is possible to reduce the chance of contact of the user of the hand dryer 1 with the exhausted gas. A lower end part of the first duct 131 may communicate with the first blowing chamber 221. In that case, by disposing the filter 133 in the first duct 131, it is possible to reduce the moisture that flows into the first blowing chamber 221.

The first blower 151 exhausts gas out of the first blowing chamber 221 through the exhaust port 221 a and produces an airflow that passes from top down through the first and second ducts 131 and 132. That is, the first blower 151 can produce an airflow that passes from the drying chamber 10 toward the first blowing chamber 221. With this design, an airflow containing water droplets can be passed smoothly from the drying chamber 10 toward the first and second ducts 131 and 132. It is also possible to increase the volume of air blown out by the hand dryer 1.

The second blowing chamber 222 is disposed above the first blowing chamber 221. Disposing the second blowing chamber 222 near the drying chamber 10 helps enhance the blowing efficiency.

The drying chamber 10 has an enlarged portion 12 a and a reduced portion 12 b. The enlarged portion 12 a is formed by the side wall 12 and has a comparatively large width in a direction crossing the first direction (Z direction). The reduced portion 12 b is formed by the side wall 12, is disposed below the enlarged portion 12 a, and has a small width in a direction crossing the first direction (Z direction) compared with the enlarged portion 12 a. The second blowing chamber 222 is fastened to the outer surface of the side wall 12 forming the reduced portion 12 b. With this design, it is possible to make the hand dryer 1 compact and to stably fasten the second blowing chamber 222.

In the second blowing chamber 222, the second blower 152 is disposed. The second blowing chamber 222 has an intake port 222 a open in it (see FIG. 7 ). The second blower 152 can exhaust gas toward the hose 140 and produces an airflow that passes from bottom up through the hose 140. Providing the second blower 152 helps increase the flow rate of the gas that blows into the drying chamber 10. The output of the first blower 151 is lower than the output of the second blower 152. With this design, by providing the second blower 152, it is possible to increase the volume of air yielded by the hand dryer 1 even with the low-output first blower 151.

One hose 140 is provided so as to communicate an upper portion of the drying chamber 10 with the blowing chamber 20 (see FIG. 7 ). In this example embodiment, one hose 140 is provided. The hose 140 is disposed downstream of the second blower 152. The hose 140 has an upstream part 141 and a downstream part 142.

The upstream part 141 communicates with the second blowing chamber 222. The downstream part 142 extends from an end part of the upstream part 141 closer to the drying chamber 10. The downstream part 142 is formed in a ring shape surrounding the drying-chamber opening 13 about the first direction (Z direction) and has a blowout port 142 a open toward the drying chamber 10. With this design, it is possible, with a single hose 140, to blow air into the plurality of drying chamber 10. It is also possible, near the drying-chamber opening 13, to blow air evenly in the first direction (Z direction). The downstream part 142 need not be formed in a tubular shape; instead, a plurality of downstream parts 142 may be formed so as to branch from an end part of the upstream part 141 closer to the drying chamber 10.

When the user inserts a hand through the drying-chamber opening 13 into the drying chamber 10, the sensor (not illustrated) detects the hand inserted and operates the first and second blowers 151 and 152. The airflow produced as the second blower 152 is driven blows out via the blowout port 142 a into the drying chamber 10 through the hose 140. Moreover, as the first blower 151 is driven, the air inside the drying chamber 10 flows into the first and second ducts 131 and 132.

Example embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited by the example embodiments described above. The present invention allows for any modifications to the example embodiments described above without departing from the spirit of the invention. Unless inconsistent, any features described above in connection with the example embodiments can be combined together as necessary and appropriates. For example, in the first example embodiment, three or more hoses 40 a and 40 b may be provided.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention finds applications in hand dryers installed in washrooms or the like and used to dry hands after washing.

While example embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand dryer comprising: a drying chamber; a blowing chamber that below the drying chamber in a first direction extending in an up-down direction; a duct that is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical and provides a connection between a lower portion of the drying chamber and the blowing chamber; and at least one hose that provides a connection between an upper portion of the drying chamber and the blowing chamber; wherein a drying-chamber opening is provided in the upper portion of the drying chamber, the drying-chamber opening being open in the first direction and communicating with an outside; the drying chamber includes: a side wall that surrounds the drying chamber from opposite sides in a second direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction and from opposite sides in a third direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first and second directions, the side wall extending in the first direction; and a blower provided in the drying chamber to produce an airflow that passes from bottom up through the hose; the duct includes: a duct upper portion that communicates with the lower portion of the drying chamber, the duct upper portion being wider in the second direction; a duct connection portion that extends from a lower portion of the duct upper portion in a direction including a third direction component, the duct connection portion being wider in the second direction; and a duct lower portion that communicates with the duct connection portion, the duct lower portion being located below the duct connection portion and being wider in the second direction; and a width of the duct lower portion in the second direction is about 40% or more and about 70% or less of a width of the duct upper portion in the second direction.
 2. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein a width of the duct connection portion decreases continuously from the duct upper portion toward the duct lower portion; and a minimum value of the width of the duct connection portion in the second direction is equal or substantially equal to the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction.
 3. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction is about 50% or more of a width of the blowing chamber in the second direction.
 4. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the hose includes: a hose lower portion that communicates with the blowing chamber; a hose upper portion that communicates with the drying chamber; and a hose connection portion that connects together the hose lower portion and the hose upper portion; and an outer cylinder portion of the hose connection portion curves smoothly from the hose lower portion toward the hose upper portion.
 5. The hand dryer according to claim 3, wherein the hose includes: a hose lower portion that communicates with the blowing chamber; a hose upper portion that communicates with the drying chamber; and a hose connection portion that connects together the hose lower portion and the hose upper portion; and an outer cylinder portion of the hose connection portion curves from the hose lower portion toward the hose upper portion.
 6. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction.
 7. The hand dryer according to claim 3, wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction.
 8. The hand dryer according to claim 4, wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction. 